Apple Breakfast Cookies
Published on September 05, 2025
Quick Summary
These soft and chewy Apple Breakfast Cookies are made with wholesome ingredients like oats, grated apples, almond butter, and warming spices. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and packed with fiber and healthy fats, they’re the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or nourishing snack. Bonus: They’re freezer-friendly and kid-approved!
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Pin ItCozy Apple Breakfast Cookies (Perfect for Mornings or Anytime!)
If you’ve made my classic breakfast cookies before, you know how much we love them around here. They’re one of our go-to recipes for quick breakfasts, healthy snacks, and everything in between. Well, this apple version is my cozy fall twist on that classic, packed with warm spices, grated apple, crunchy walnuts, and chewy oats. Think of these as an apple-cinnamon hug in cookie form.
These Apple Breakfast Cookies are everything I want on a crisp morning (or let’s be honest — any time of day). They’re hearty, wholesome, filling, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce. And best of all? They’re made with basic pantry ingredients and come together in just one bowl. So easy!
I always keep a stash in the freezer, and here’s a little secret: we eat them straight from the freezer all the time. They’re so good cold — chewy, sweet, and satisfying — but you can thaw them too if you prefer a softer texture.
Even my kids can’t get enough of these. They’re lunchbox-friendly, great for grab-and-go mornings, and perfect for those times when you want something nourishing without the mess.
And while I usually don’t go for nuts in cookies, the toasted walnuts here just work, they add the perfect little crunch. Oh, and yes, I know not everyone is on team raisin, but in this cookie? Trust me, they add the perfect touch of sweetness and chew. That said, you can always leave them out if they’re not your thing.
I highly recommend giving these a try — they’re fall in a cookie, and once you have a batch in your freezer, you’ll wonder how you lived without them.
Ingredients (with Helpful Notes)
Here’s a closer look at what goes into these wholesome breakfast cookies, plus a few helpful tips!
- Almond butter: Adds creaminess and healthy fats. Make sure it’s creamy and well-stirred for best texture. You can use peanut butter, but the cookies will have a different flavor.
- Unsweetened applesauce: Adds moisture and natural sweetness without any added sugar.
- Pure maple syrup: Naturally sweetens the cookies with rich flavor!
- Egg: Helps bind the cookies together. You can use a flax egg for a vegan option.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the warm, cozy flavors.
- Oat flour: Easy to make at home by blending rolled oats. For gluten-free cookies, use gluten-free oats.
- Baking soda: Just a bit to help the cookies rise slightly.
- Cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg: A perfect fall-inspired spice trio, feel free to adjust based on what you love!
- Old-fashioned oats: For that chewy, satisfying texture.
- Grated apple: Adds moisture, sweetness, and texture. Honeycrisp and Granny Smith are my top picks.
- Toasted walnuts: Adds a nice crunch and healthy fats.
- Raisins: A touch of natural sweetness and chewy contrast. You could sub with dried cranberries or chopped dates, too.
Tips for Making Apple Breakfast Cookies
- Grate your apple so it mixes in evenly, no need to peel unless you want to.
- Make your own oat flour in a blende. It’s quick, affordable, and fresher than store-bought.
- To toast walnuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir often and cook for 5–7 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from the pan right away to cool, they can burn quickly!
- Don’t over mix the batter, stir just until the ingredients are combined to keep cookies tender.
- Easy to customize. Feel free to stir in a handful of chocolate chips! Or swap the raisins for dried cranberries. You can leave the walnuts out, but I love the slight nutty crunch.
- Use a cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) to portion dough evenly for even baking.
- Don’t over bake. They’ll continue firming up as they cool.
Apple Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup oat flour*
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup grated apple, I use Honeycrisp or Granny smith
- 1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts*
- 1/4 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the almond butter, applesauce, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the oat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Stir until just combined. Stir in the oats, grated apple, walnuts, and raisins.
- Scoop the dough onto prepared baking sheet, about 2 tablespoons per cookie.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until they’re set, but still soft.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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I’m going to make these this weekend. Do I add the applesauce at the same time as the almond butter? Thank you.
Yes! I hope you love the cookies.
I love breakfast cookies. They are great to have with yoghurt and coffee. I like that your recipe has grated apple in it.
The perfect fall cookie!
can a flax egg sub for the egg?
It should work. I make the zucchini oatmeal cookies and sub with a flax egg and they turn out great! I was planning to do the same here.
Yes, that should be just fine!
Yes!
Sounds delicious and easy for a grab and go breakfast
YES!
God bless yall healthy folks!!!! iam pos they taste better than your reg healthy cookies!! how yall do what yall doo everyday makes me dizzy!! you make up , in my mind anyway, for people like me xoxox is one of hundred of thousands of reasoning why I knew I shldnt be a mom and certainly not to be responsible for another human. young or old.. I love and dream of being a cook, baker or even a sandwich maker.. thankball of you that allow me to dream
Can I use quick oats?
That should be fine!
Would tahini work in place of the almond butter?
These breakfast cookies were perfect! They had a great amount of spice and such a perfect level of sweetness. Really enjoyed these with my morning coffee.
Perfect with a cup of coffee!
These were a great cookie, with lovely spiciness, perfect for a quick fall breakfast.
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve been enjoying many of your recipes!
I am so glad you loved the cookies. So good for fall!
I made these yesterday and they are delish! I had to substitute pecans for wanuts due to an allergy in the family. I added salted caramel chips to the last 3 cookies and will probably continue that in future batches. My new breakfast favorite! Thanks for the recipe!
Pecans are great too! I will have to try them with the caramel chips. YUM!
Hi, I plan to make these today. I’m wondering if they can be frozen?
Yes! See the notes for storing! They freeze beautifully! I love them right from the freezer!
Hi Maria!
Could I replace oat flour with almond flour?
Thank you!
Nancy
I haven’t tried almond flour, it might change the texture and flavor a little. The cookies might be dryer, so you might need to add more applesauce? Let me know if you try it!
can i substitute with steel cut oats?
No, they have a different texture. I recommend old fashioned oats!
Can I omit the walnuts in this recipe. Would there be a difference in the texture .
Yes, you can leave them out!